Did you know that bats are the only mammal capable of true flight? They've evolved into a thousand different species around the world, and are even found in Iceland! They aren't native to the country unfortunately, but are thought to have arrived on freight ships. Bat Conservation International made today a special day to celebrate the return of bats from their winter migrations. Of course, this is in the US and Europe where bats migrate to escape the bitter winters there! Australian bats don't really have this problem.

I wish I had some microbats to share with you, as we have around 80 different species of tiny bats. Alas, I'll have to make do with some adorable, fuzzy, fox-like megabats. Enjoy! 😊

Pictured above are Little Red Flying Foxes (Pteropus scapulatus) and Black Flying Foxes (Pteropus alecto). Both of these bats are listed as Least Concern - for now.
We recently lost more than 20,000 (nearly a third) Spectacled Flying Foxes - so many in fact that they've now been listed nationally as Endangered. This devastating die-off was caused by an intense heatwave, and with climate change predicted to cause more extreme weather events we can only prepare ourselves for what could happen next summer. Carers are still trying to raise the babies who lost their mothers during that heatwave, and baby gear and food is expensive! Donations, even small contributions, go a long way, and you could help save the next generation of these charming bats.
Donate here:

A dragon. Not a fancy fire-breathing one, but a dragon nonetheless! This is an Australian Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii) and these fantastic lizards can reach up to 90cm long! This one appears to be a male, judging by the robust jaw and the orangey-red flush. Females tend to be paler in colour.
That 'plop-splash' sound you might hear when walking along a waterhole/creek might be a turtle or rakali, but it might also be one of these lizards! With a lower body temperature than other reptiles, water dragons like to loaf on branches or logs in the shade but will launch themselves into the water if they feel threatened.

Shamelessly using one of my namesakes to usher in 2019 🐝😁 We're in the second week already! This midget insect is a species of stingless bee (Trigona carbonaria). In the hustle and bustle of pollen collection, I saw these bees tussling with each other for prime spots on the flower. Perhaps they were from different hives? Often most active during late afternoon, or in the soft mornings before the stupefying summer heat, you hear them before you see their tiny flashing bodies. A constant busy drone acting as a backdrop against birdsong and the wind rustling in the trees.